Lalu back in Patna after 7 months, buzz on role in Opposition unity moves

April 28, 2023 17:31

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Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad returned to his home turf of Bihar on Friday amid a buzz that he will throw his weight behind Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's efforts to forge "opposition unity" ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls.

Prasad, whose unconditional offer of support to Kumar, an arch rival, helped the latter survive in power while elbowing out former ally Bharatiya Janata Party, is back home after a gap of seven months which saw him travel to Singapore for a kidney transplant operation followed by a long period of recuperation in Delhi.

The septuagenarian, who was brought out of the airport in Patna in a wheelchair, looked frail in a T-shirt and track pants and a mask wrapped around his face.

He was accompanied, among others, by younger son Tejashwi Yadav, his party's heir apparent who has earned the deputy CM's chair as a result of the churn in Bihar politics last year.

Enthusiastic supporters stood in the scorching heat, waiting for a glimpse of their leader.

Security personnel had a challenging time ensuring that the slogan-shouting crowd did not venture too close to the VIPs.

Prasad nodded and waved at party supporters as he was rushed to his son's car, covered with flower petals.

His cavalcade drove to his wife Rabri Devi's house, where he puts up whenever he is in Patna.

A large number of vehicles was parked outside 10, Circular Road, the bungalow allotted to Rabri Devi, right across the street from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. -- PTI

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